Stamping machine



Oct. 9, 1951 I J. A. BOWER 2,570,756

STAMPING MACHINE I Filed March 30, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.J'ames A. Bower- Oct. 9, 1951 J. A. BOWER 2,570,756

STAMPING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 50, 1948 INVENTOR.

Jam as A. Bower J- A. BOWER STAMPING MACHINE Oct. 9, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet3 Filed March 30, 1948 I INVENTOR. cfamea A. Bower MQM Patented Oct. 9,1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2, 570,756

STAMPING MACHINE James A. Bower, Chester, W. Va., assig'nor to TheTaylor, Smith & Taylor Company, East Liver pool, Ohio, a corporation ofWest Virginia Application March 30, 19' l'8,Serial No. 17,989

8 Claims. (01. 101335) V l g The invention relates to the stamping ofceramic *ware, particularly the stamping of .plates, with desireddecorations, such as gold band for example.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide-a machine of thischaracter which will apply bands or other decorative designs, of goldor-other material, to plates, dishes and the like, in such manner thatthe decoration will be perfectl smooth and uniform.

Another object of the invention is to provide means by which thesqueegee'will be moved at an absolutely uniform velocity during thestroke of applying the material to the platen; while other movements -ofthe squeegee and platen may be uniformly accelerated and decelerated.

Another object-of the invention is to assure uniform'application of thematerial to the-platen, by the 'provisionof a squeegee headcarryin anapplicator followed by a squeegee.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a machine *of thischaracter of simple construction which will operate efficiently-and athigh speed.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilledinitheart from the followingdetailed description when taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure ,1 is adiagrammatic illustration-showing the platen and squeegeehead in withdrawn position, after the decorating material, such as gold,ha beenapplied to the platen, and after the previous .plate has beendecorated and the stamp elevated;

Figure 2 is adiagrammatic illustration showing the position of the parts:after the platen and squeegee head have been moved bodily forwardtogether, to bring the inked platen beneath the stamp, whereupon thestamp is quickly moved down into contact with the platen and thenlifted;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic illustration showing the position of theparts after the platen .has been quickly .moved to withdrawn position;the squeegee head remaining in advanced position, and the stampdescending to stampa plate;

.=Eigure4 is a diagrammatic illustration of the partsafter thesqueegeehead has been-moved, in its material-applying stroke, to itswithdrawn position, so that the parts have .now completed a cycle andhave returned to the same 11051131011195 shown in Figure 1; and showingin dotted lines the positions assumed by the applicator and squeegeeduring this relatively slow inking stroke; the stamp having moved backto its elevated position;

Figure 5 is. a fragmentary plan view of one form of platen.

Figure 6 is a central longitudinal sectional view of thepreferred formof apparatus; the parts being in the position illustrateddiagrammatically in Figure 1;

Figure '7 is a detail side view, with partsbroken away, illustrating theoperating connection for the squeegee head; 7

Figure 8 is a detail cross sectional view illustrating the operatingconnections for the platen and squeegee head; and

v Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view of the machine, with partsomitted and illustrating the driving means for the stamp, squeegee headand platen.

A will be'understood fromthe diagrammatic illustrations of Figures 1 to4, the platen and squeegee headare' moved bodily forward together, afterthe .platen has been inked, to bring the platen into position beneaththe stamp. The stamp is then moved down into contact with the platen andthen lifted, and .upon lifting of the stamp the platen is .quickly movedback to its withdrawn :position, with the :squeegee head remaining inits advanced position, and the stamp descends to decorate the plate orother article.

And the squeegee head moves .:across the platen in its relatively slowinking stroke at uniform speed, to thereby complete a cycle.

With this general description of the operation of the machine, thepreferred form of apparatus will now'be described.

.Numeral .1 refers to the preferred form of platen, which has a well 2at each end for carrying the material for decorating the ware, such asgold. And the platen surface may be engraved with closely spaced crosslines 3, forming minute pockets.

xThe squeegee head is indicated by numeral-4,

and this head-carries asqueegee-E and anlappliscribed in any detail, butit may include a base l supporting a table II on which is mounted aholder 12 for supporting a plate l3 or other article to be decorated,and a series of fingers 14 for accurately centering the article to bedecorated; the fingers preferably being radially adjustable. Theframework in which the platen and squeegee head reciprocate is referredto generally by numeral l5, and may be supported from the table by legsl6.

Numeral l1 indicates a motor for driving the machine. This motor,through a belt l8 and reduction gear box l9, continuously rotates ashaft 26. This shaft carries a cam 21 for operating the platen, and twoearns 22 for operating the squeegee head. This shaft also carries abevel gear 23 meshing with a bevel gear 24 on a stub shaft 25. This stubshaft carries a cam 26 for operating the stamp.

The cam 2|, which .operates the platen l, cooperates with a roller 21carried by one arm of. a bell-crank lever 28; the other armof the leverhaving a pin and slot connection 23 with a bracket 36 connected to theplaten.

Also connected with the platen is a piston rod 3| having a piston 32riding in a cylinder 33. This cylinder is open at its forward end, andits closed rear end is connected by a line 34 with a source of constantair pressure; the pressure being sufficient to maintain the roller 2'!in contact with the cam 2 I. 1

The squeegee head is operated by the two cams 22, 22 in conjunction withcylinders to be later described. These cams, which are mounted on thecontinuously rotatin shaft 20, are shown in Figure 9 but not in Figure6. Cooperating with the cams 22, 22,.are rollers 35, 35, carried by onearm of the bell crank levers 36, 36; the other arm of the bell cranklevers being connected by pin and slot connections 37, 31, to brackets38, 38, carried by the squeegee head 4. The bell crank levers 36, 36, aswell as the bell crank lever 28 for operating the platen, are mounted tooscillate about a shaft 39.

Numeral 46 refers to an air cylinder having a piston 4|. Connected withthis piston are two piston rods 42 and 43, and the piston rod 42 isconnected with the squeegee head 4. .The piston rod 43 rides free and itwill be noted that rod 43 is of greater diameter than rod 42, .so thatgreater pressure is exerted on the forward or right hand side of thepiston (Fig. 6) than on its rearward or left hand side. Air pressurelines 44 and 45 connect with the front and rear ends respectively of thecylinder. And, of course, appropriate valve and timing mechanism (notshown) are provided to alternately admit and exhaust the pressure fromopposite ends of the cylinder through these lines.

When pressure is admitted to the rear end of thecylinder, which is theend having the piston rod of greater diameter, it is sufficient torapidly move the squeegee head forwardly to its advanced position; therollers 35 being in contact with the cams 22.

The opposite or return movement of the squeegee head is its inkingstroke, and in this stroke the head will travel at a relatively slowerspeed, and it is highly desirable that the speed be uniform throughoutits stroke, that the speed be finely adjustable, and that the motion ofthe head should be entirely free of vibration. Such results are notobtainable if the squeegee is camdriven during this stroke. Therefore Ihave provided means for eliminating the cam control dur- 4. ing theinking stroke of the squeegee head, as will now be described.

When air is admitted to the forward end of the cylinder 40 the pressurewill be sufficient to lift the rollers slightly from the cams 36, whichwill eliminate the cam control during this inking stroke and accordinglyeliminate any vibration which might result from cam control, and toobtain a uniform speed, finely adjustable, I provide an oil or otherliquid cylinder 46 having a piston 47 and piston rod 48 connected to thesqueegee head.

Numeral 49 indicates an oil reservoir with a line 58 leading therefromto the rear end of the oil cylinder 46; the front end of the cylinderbein open. And in this line 50 there is a check valve 51 which willpermit oil to flow freely from the bottom of the reservoir to the rearend of the cylinder, but will prevent oil from flowing back to thereservoir through this line.. Another line 52 leads from the rear end ofthe cylinder to the top of the reservoir, and a check valve 53 permitsoil to flow from the cylinder to the top of the reservoir but not in theopposite direction. And this line is also provided with a needle valve54 to control the volume flow. Thus it will be apparent that in theforward or non-inking stroke of the squeegee head the oil cylinder hasno control whatever, for oil is merely drawn freely into the rear end ofthe oil cylinder through the line 56, by the vacuum created by theforward movement of the piston 41. But when air is admitted to theforward end of the cylinder 40, for the inking stroke of the squeegeehead, the oil will be forced out of the rear end of the cylinder 46 bythe piston 41 and must flow through the line 52 to the top of thereservoir. And of course it must flow through the needle valve 54. Thusthere is imparted to the squeegee head a uniform motion, and thevelocity can be finely regulated by adjusting the needle valve. Aspreviously mentioned, the movement of the head is free of the cams forthe rollers have been lifted from contact with the cams.

Numeral 55 refers to an ordinary rubberstamp shaped to decorate plates,dishes and the like, and the stamp ispreferably provided withv the usualsponge rubber backing 56. As best shown in Figure 9, this stamp may becarried by a -rod5'l mounted for vertical adjustment in a bracket 58.Numeral 53 indicates a hollow sleeve in which one end of the bracket 58is telescopically mounted, and the end of the sleeve is preferably splitand provided with clampin screws 60, so that the bracket can be adjustedabout its axis and also in and out of the sleeve. Thus the stamp can beadjusted in any direction. 4

The sleeve 59 is carried by a vertically reciprocable rod or shaft 6|carrying at its lower end a roller 62 riding on the previously mentionedcontinuously rotating cam 26. The rod 6| is suitably guided for verticalreciprocation in a frame 63 on the table H, and connected to the, upperend of this rod is a piston rod 64 of a cylinder 65. The cam is ofcoursedesigned to give two strokes to the rod 6| and the stamp operatedthereby, the first downward stroke being for the purpose of bringing thestamp into contact with the platen to pick up the gold Or otherdecorating material, and the second downward stroke being for thepurpose of bringing the stamp into contact with the plate or otherarticle to apply the decoration. To assist in keeping the roller 62 incontact with the cam, air pressure is admitted to the upper end of thecylinder 65, through a line 66, for the downward strokes and :releasedfor the upward strokes. Suitable timing and valve mechanism (not shown)is provided for this purpose.

In operation, the cam shaft 20 is continuously rotating in the directionindicated by the arrows in Figure 6. Assuming the parts are in thepositions shown in Figures 1 and '6, with the platen already inked, thecams 2| and 22 are designed to quickly move the squeegee head and platenforward together, to bring the platen beneath the stamp,'so that theparts are in'the positionshown in Figure 2. Then the cam 26 and pressurein the upper end of cylinder 65 quickly lower the stamp into contactwith the-platen and thestamp is then lifted by the cam.

As soon as the stamp is lifted-cam 2| .is designed to move the platenquickly outward' toits withdrawn position, and cams 22 are designed tohold the squeegee head stationary in itsadvanced position during theoutward movement of the platen, so that the parts are now in theposition shown in Figure 3. And when the platen is thus moved outwardly,cam 26 and pressure in the upper end of cylinder 65 lower the stamp toapply the decoration to the plate or other article. And, of course, assoon as the plate is decorated the cam 26 lifts the stamp out of the wayfor the next cycle of operation. The decorated article is removed fromthe holder 12 and replaced by another article to be decorated.

The outward movement of the platen is rapid and is not an inkingoperation; though of course some of the gold or other decoratingmaterialwill be swept across the platen. The squeegee 5 will not exert anyparticular pressure during this movement of the platen, for it will tendto swing away from its metal backing member 1.

Now the platen is to be inked, and cam 2i is designed to hold the platenin its withdrawn position while the cams 22 move the squeegee headacross the platen, that is, from the position shown in Figure 3 to theposition shown in Figure 4.

This movement is relatively slow, and it is of the greatest importancethat the platen be coated in preferably a smooth and uniform manner, inOrder that the articles may be properly decorated. In this movement ofcourse the applicator 6 is in advance of the squeegee 5, and as theapplicator advances it spreads the gold, which it has taken from thepocket, over the surface of the platen, the surface of which may beengraved with closely spaced cross lines, as shown in Figure 5.

The applicator is followed closely by the squeegee during this inkingstroke, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 4, and very considerablepressure is exerted by the squeegee in this stroke for it is beingfirmly held by the metal backing member I. decorating material is forcedinto the minute recesses formed by the cross lines in the face of theplaten, and thoroughly wiped.

During this inking stroke it is very important that there be novibration of the parts such as might be caused by a cam drive, and it isalso very important that the travel of the squeegee head be at a uniformspeed throughout, rather than accelerated and decelerated, and that itbe possible to very finely adjust this uniform speed. This uniformspeed, and'fine adjustment thereof, without vibration resulting from camcontrol, are obtained by the air cylinder and oil system, by which therollers 35 are lifted from the cams 22, and the control of the oil inthe cylinder 46 and In this manner the gold or other associated' 'partsinsuressa uniforin s'peedfthrougha out the strike, and this speed canbeexactly ad'- -justed by the needle valve 54, :as described in detailhereinbefore.

When :the squeegee head reaches the end of .its stroke, the "platen isinkedand one cycleof oper ation has been completed, with the parts inthe position-shown in Figure 4, which is the same as Figure 1, and"another cycle is started by cams moving the platgn and .squeegee headforwardly together, to bring the platen again beneath the stamp.

Having fully described the invention, what I claim is:

1. A stamping machine of the character described, including ahorizontally reciprocable platen and :a horizontally reciprocablesqueegee head positioned in operative relation above the platen,a'vertically reciprocable stamp positioned above the plane ofthe platento cooperate therewith, and operating means connected with the platenand head, said operating means including means for advancing the headand platen together to bring the platen beneath the stamp, means forwithdrawing the platen while the head remains stationary, and means forwithdrawing the head while the platen remains stationary.

2. A stamping machine of the character described, including a platen, asqueegee head positioned in operative relation above the platen, theplaten and head being relatively movable in a. horizontal plane, a camoperatively connected with the head for moving the head in onedirection, and means connected with the head and independent of the camfor moving the head during its inking stroke.'

3. A stamping machine of the character described, including a platen, asqueegee head positioned in operative relation above the platen, theplaten and head bein relatively movable in a horizontal plane, a camoperatively connected with the head for moving the head on non-inkingstrokes, an air cylinder connected with the head for moving the headindependently of the cam on inking strokes, and an oil system connectedwith the head andcontrolling the movement of the head imparted by thesaid cylinder.

4. A stamping machine of the character described, including a platen, asqueegee head positioned in operative relation above the platen, theplaten and head being relatively movable in a horizontal plane, an aircylinder connected with the head for moving the head during inkingstrokes, and an oil cylinder connected with the head and controlling themovement of the head imparted by said air cylinder.

5. A stamping machine of the character described, including a platen, asqueegee head positioned in operative relation above the platen, meansincluding an air cylinder connected with the head for relatively movingthe platen and head in a horizontal plane, an oil system connected withthe head and controlling such movement imparted by said air cylinder,and a volume control valve in said oil system tofinely regulate thespeed of such movement.

6. A stamping machine of the character described, includin a platen, asqueegee head positioned in operative relation above the platen, and

means for relativel moving the platen and head in a horizontal planeduring the inking operation, said means including an air cylinder and anoil cylinder connected with the head, an oil reservoir, a line leadingfrom the reservoir to one end of the oil cylinder, another line leadingfrom the same end of theoil cylinder back to the reservoir, and checkvalves in said lines.

7. A stamping machine of the character described, including a platen, asqueegee head associated with the platen, and means for moving the headacross the platen in its inking stroke, said means including an aircylinder and an oil cylinder, the piston rods of both cylindersconnected with the squeegee head, and the oil cylinder cooperating withthe air cylinder tocontrol the movement imparted by the air cylinder.

8. A stamping machine of the character described, including a platen, asqueegee head associated with the platen, a stamp, cams for advancingthe platen and headtogether'to bring the platen beneath the stamp andwithdrawing the platen from beneath the stamp while the head remainsstationary, and means independent of the cam drive for moving the headback across the platen in its inking stroke, said means in- 8 eluding anair cylinder and an oil cylinder cooperating with the air cylinder tocontrol the movement imparted by the air cylinder.

JAMES A. BOWER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 584,669 I Buttler June 15, 18971,840,069 Walker et al Jan. 5, 1932 1,870,541 Whitlock Aug. 9, 19321,922,710 Owens Aug. 15, 1933 1,966,416 Parmelee et a1 July 10, 19342,039,909 Kem et a1. May 5, 1936 2,307,404 Heyne Jan. 5, 1943 2,339,423Pollard Jan. 18, 1944 2,445,140

Hanington July 13, 1948

